I am sitting at my desk waiting for Lionel Chetwynd to arrive so that we can do our next Poliwood on the subject du jour – the arrest of Roman Polanski. While waiting I have been reading over the growing list of entertainment industry personalities who have risen to the defense of the director. The list is stomach-turning. Many of the names I know. Some were once personal friends. Some of those ex-friends even have children, who I also knew. Children.

And yet those people are defending a man who drugged and sodomized a thirteen-year old!

In the name of what? His art? One creepy character on the Huffington Post even went so far as to say Polanski had suffered enough because he didn’t get to work in Hollywood. How dumb can you get – multi-million dollar productions such as Polanski directed for years are financed internationally and distributed world wide. The only “suffering” Polanski had to endure in all this is he had to live in Paris instead of Beverly Hills. Quelle tragédie.

The mess is metastasizing and seems to be headed for something extremely dangerous for the entertainment industry (or part of it) – the further alienation of the audience. These filmmakers are more than ever lost in their own narcissistic bubble, unaware that the public does not share their sympathy for Polanksi. (Even in France, according to a poll in Le Figaro, the public was seventy percent against him.) This was in evidence on the conventionally liberal HuffPo where the readership in the comments was in rebellion from its elite “leaders” on this issue. In the real world, people do not have great sympathy for child molesters. As we know, they don’t even have much sympathy in prison where they are the lowest of the low, the so-called “short eyes.”

Two more things before I get ready with Lionel: Seeing Woody Allen (with whom I worked on Scenes From a Mall) in the lead on this matter is almost on the level of self-parody. Manhattan – with its supposedly charming rendition of the attraction of an older writer for a Dalton school girl – was difficult enough to watch in the past. It will now become intolerable.

Still, I have to sympathize with Samantha, the girl now woman who was the object of Polanski’s aggression, when she requests that this whole thing be put to rest. She is a woman in her forties now with children of her own. She is about to be raped twice. Who could wish that on her? But the wheels of justice are now turning. One wonders how that could not have been so decades ago. That’s a mystery yet to be unraveled.

211 Comments, 211 Threads

After hearing that Whoopi Goldberg’s opinion about so-called “rape-rape”, I quietly added her to the list of entertainment personalities that I will no longer watch, in any form – no great loss, admittedly, as she hasn’t been funny in decades, and only appeared in about a quarter of the episodes of Star Trek – Voyager.
And now this morning, having Bette Midler sounding off, insisting that Glenn Beck and the Tea Partiers are about to go all Ruwanda-genocide … well, there goes another one.
Don’t these people, in their little entertainment-world bubble realize how many ordinary members of what would have been their audience, are now outraged and insulted – and walking away?

Unfortunately, to those of us who live in the real world. He raped a 13yo after drugging her so that she wouldn’t struggle. If it was my child, I blow that m****r f***er away. I don’t think even a jury in Kaliforia would convict me…

If Polanski were a priest who had drugged and raped a thirteen year old 30 years ago, Hollywood would have made a Catholic bashing movie about it.

The thing is, Hollywood believes that if everyone were like them we wouldn’t need laws because they are just so damn much smarter than the rest of us.

No matter how degrading, disturbing or disgusting their behavior or product they can justify it as “art.” Hypocrisy is the only sin to them and the way they avoid the appearance of hypocrisy is by “anything goes.”

There is, of course, only one very prominent Hollywood star who literally has the power to free Mr. Polanski. I haven’t seen this mentioned anywhere, but I’m not surprised he hasn’t made any statement about this whole affair. Am I missing something or has nobody asked him?

thanks much for clarifying your position on Mr Polanski. I read your last, that described his artistic life and connexions, as making the same sort of “we can’t jail him he’s too talented” argument we heard to justify Phil Spector (for example). Hey, talented people need to colour within the lines, too. Those lines being the criminal statutes.

If not, well, ask Michael Vick what happens. Or Spector, actually. If I was king, I’d have jailed the latter already for the lousy job he did on Let it Be and All Things Must Pass, but that’s just me. (Imagine “All Things” with the talent of George Martin, or, say, Alan Parsons at the desk).

Polanski’s best way out of the jam at this point is probably cooperation, humility, and a little show of contrition. That’s not the way he’s going — he’s gonna fight this to the last round, like Hiro Onoda. I don’t think folks in the movie racket realize that in the physical world where objects are three-dimensional, the signature of Martin Scorcese or Woody Allen (! Woody freaking Allen!) doesn’t trump any judge in the land.

I find myself, one who finds Whoopi Goldberg’s politics and opinions extremely distasteful, in the embarrassing position of her defender in this matter. The “it wasn’t rape-rape” comment has been taken out of context. I do not believe it was her purpose to somehow excuse or minimize Polanski’s crime. Her intent was to point out that Polanski was allowed to plead guilty to a lesser charge, a charge other than what some codes define as “capital rape,” the most egregious sexual offense punishable by death or imprisonment for life.

Polanski was initially charged with rape by use of drugs, perversion, sodomy, lewd and lascivious act upon a child under 14, and furnishing a controlled substance to a minor — quite a large menu of crimes that could have landed him in San Quentin for life.

Through a bargain Polanski was allowed to plead guilty to a charge of, as the California Penal Code puts it, “engaging in unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.” Polanski expected to get away with probation and time served (42 days), but the judge in the case told his attorneys that he [the judge] intended to give Polanski an active sentence followed by deportation. Polanski fled before the sentencing hearing, and the conviction (engaging in unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor) still stands.

Goldberg’s choice of words was unfortunate, which only goes to show that ignorance ought to keep silent, lesson the arrogant Hollywood Left will never learn because when they learn it they cease to be cool.

Those who want to do something concrete, might visit the Amazon pages for films with the actors, directors and producers listed on the page linked above. Post a review, giving them one star, pointing to flaws in their art, and mentioning their grotesque defense of Polanski. That’d hurt them in the only two places where they can be hurt: their vanity and their bank accounts.

Someone might even want to create a web page that links to the relevant Amazon DVD pages, paying particularly attention to those who’ve been the most vocal defenders of Polanski, such as Woody Allen and Whoopi Goldberg.

Don’t forget Amazon online stores in the UK, France and Germany. The average European is with us in this matter. It’s the cultural elites here and abroad that have this sick double standard.

M. Perry: I can’t get behind that campaign, as much as these artists disgust me.

As a consumer, it seriously ticks me off when people leave reviews/ratings for dvds/books/cds in response to things other than the product itself. It’s not the purpose of consumer reviews and distorts the process. There are many forums at Amazon in which to express displeasure at Goldberg’s words. Her fellow cast/crew members on each of her projects don’t necessarily deserve the punishment of the ratings attack.

But isn’t this what “art” has become? A celebration Nietzschean / Rousseauian revolt against the “chains” of middle class and or religion grounded morality — and a celebration of the titillation which the violations of that morality give the “transgressor”?

What could be more titillating and a greater revolt against morality than the drugging and anal rape of a 13 year old girl? This is an artistic act in itself according to the artistic canons of the contemporary “art” community ..

And we’re really that surprised that Hollywood is so different than we common folks? Most actors/actresses never completed high school, but based upon their ability to read the lines others have written, their opinions are oh so more informed. That’s why they’re always given the microphone, without equal time to rebut, for proselytizing their every brain fart; without question or challenge. War? Katrina? Health Care? They are “the” experts on every issue.

Yep, not just actors/actresses – that have this disconnect, moral dissonance. It seems some impairment, endemic on the Left.

I have used many pejoratives to “paint” our betters in Hollywood. Mean, nasty, skewering.
But I need to give a h/t to the French. They call their “artistes” – Les People. Simple, subtle, and much more damaging than any of mine.

With regards to the disgust Messrs. Simon, Jackson, and others feel for the staunchest defenders of Polanski: might a well-publicized boycott be called for? Is anyone willing to make the considerable effort to publicly say, for example, “We are no longer carrying/renting/etc. [fill in entertainers' names here]‘s products because we believe defending child rape is just that reprehensible….” and then follow through? I almost wish I owned a video store where I could do so–the outpouring of support, moral and financial, would more than cover whatever expenses from destroying a few Woody Allen, Roman Polanski, Whoopi Goldberg, etc. DVDs……

These Hollywood types just don’t get it. Normal folks take this sort of thing so seriously that pedophiles like Polanski are taken out and shot. IMO, he’s gettin’ off easy, anyway you look at it. Now if he found himself locked up in a cell, being sold for 10 cigs for 30 minutes, well, wouldn’t that be ironic. Most folks expect Hollywood types to be perverts, but to be so on your face about it is getting pretty rank. This thing with Polanski isn’t going away. It’s easy to understand, and morally abhorrent. If it had happened here in Texas, well, it’s like that Justice of the Peace once said about a kiddie rapist-”Suicide, but I swan, how did he stab hisself 28 times”? Just to be clear, folks here still feel that way.

Geez…who wouldn’t expect something like this from holliwood? They are polluting the minds of our children at every opportunity and believe that we aren’t paying enough to support their socialistic goals. Why don’t we have an IRS Form 1099-GOV so we can track how much of our money is flushed away by criminal political enterprises like ACORN? Pathetic.

“Paragraph 16 of the declaration of Polanski’s lawyer says: “Judge Rittenband announced to counsel that he now intended to send Mr. Polanski to prison for the second time under the following conditions: (1) that he serve 48 additional days in prison . . .” The other conditions were that there would be no further hearing, and that Polanski “deport himself.” Polanski had been sent to prison for a “90-day diagnostic” and had served only 42 days; the 48 days was meant to complete the 90 days.

“This allegedly went against a previous in-chambers promise by the judge that the initial 42 days would be all Polanski would serve; however, Polanski did not plead based on the previous promise, which was made after the plea. That previous promise did not induce the plea, and when commentators say the judge “reneged” on a deal they are adopting the language of Polanski’s lawyers, who argue that the judge said he would make his decision after reading the probation department report and listening to the lawyers’ arguments. Instead, Polanski’s lawyers claim, the judge made up his mind before listening to the lawyers. Which, truth be told, judges always do; they just usually put on a better show of listening to us.”

Hollywood has glorified its”Hollywood Ten”,communist traitors,and demeaned Elia Kazan.Hollywood glorified Michael Moore ans Alec Baldwin,and even the dimwitted “stars” who attacked President Bush.They glorify our enemies,demean our troops,and insult and beliitle the citizens who live anywhere between the upper west side of Manhattan and the west side of Los Angeles.Do you think it ever occurred to that bunch that they are insultingly arrogant and contemptious of their audience/customers?Nah,”those fools” would never understand artistes* and autors*.

What we all have to remember is the absolute contempt, perhaps hatred, some of these “Hollywood types” have for most of middle America and its “values”. They think we are the “degenerates.”

I recall about 10 years ago or so when the movie “American Beauty” came out. I caught some short piece on one program that turned my stomach. In successive clips, two of its “stars”, Kevin Spacey and Annette Benning, went on about how this film ripped the cover off of what really goes on in the suburbs and that the stuff depicted in it goes on all of the time. It was quite obvious, that deep down, they depised their audience.
They literally dripped with sneering condescension…

When it comes to the art and craft of acting, the greater the talent, seemingly, the smaller the intellect. There are any number of exceptions, of course, but it seems to be the general rule (as Hugh Marlowe’s character playwright Lloyd Richards said about actors in All About Eve: I shall never understand the weird process by which a body with a voice suddenly fancies itself a mind). Take Meryl Streep: a towering talent, but I’ve never read an interview with her that suggests she’s any smarter than the average stump (and unedited, her language is laced with profanity which is usually a good tip-off). Or Sean Penn, one of the best of his generation, who is often incomprehensible. On the other hand, writers, producers and even directors are often quite smart. So, what’s their excuse?

Unfortunately, to those of us who live in the real world. He raped a 13yo after drugging her so that she wouldn’t struggle. If it was my child, I blow that m****r f***er away. I don’t think even a jury in Kaliforia would convict me… “”"”"

You’re correct, they probably wouldn’t convict you. Remember, this is the most liberal state in the Union, and yet they passed Prop 8. There is a huge disconnect between regular folks, even liberal ones, and the elites.

Thanks for the additional information. I left out the original “90-day psych eval detention” for brevity’s sake.

These deals aren’t binding contracts for a certain sentence in return for a guilty plea. Judges are always free to impose whatever lawful sentence they deem fitting, but they usually abide by the prosecutor’s recommendation to encourage witnesses to more serious crimes to cooperate.

It sounds like Polanski’s lawyers are trying to muddy the waters — maybe trying to set up a narrative such as “naive defendant is tricked into prison and deportation by reneging judge” for the cable talking heads to jaw on.

People, people, people. What is the fuss about here? I mean, it’s not like Polanski did anything truly serious like, say, shuffle his feet in a public bathroom or send an email to an 18-year-old page. If he had, of course he would deserve endless vilification and reputational ruin. But he only did what so many normal, red-blooded Hollywood types do every day. Ask McKenzie Phillips.

Anyway, artists are different, as we know from Woody Allen’s sage opinions on the matter. They must follow their muse, you see, and notbe bound like us mortals to the petty restrictions of bourgois society.

Whoopi is wrong, though. It WAS “rape, rape,” as anyone who has read the rather graphic transcripts of the victim’s testimony knows. She said “no.” Repeatedly. A civilized country would not be having this discussion. But our “elite” has moved us so far backward we have lost our bearings. That’s why I call them “regressives.”

A cynic might observe that Hollywood’s undignified rush to defend Polanski may be partly the fear that if they don’t, Polanski may be moved to say something about others in his ‘profession’ who have also done less-than-pleasant things.

“Still, I have to sympathize with Samantha, the girl now woman who was the object of Polanski’s aggression, when she requests that this whole thing be put to rest. She is a woman in her forties now with children of her own. She is about to be raped twice.”

I wouldn’t worry about that one too much. She actually rather seems to enjoy the limelight.

The satanicritualabuseconspiracy fringe has been claiming that this kind of child abuse is widespread and endemic in hollywood and other elite circles. It seems ludicrous, but if it were true, seems like this might be a list of those involved either as abusers or the Stockholmed abused (Portman?).

It is just so unbelievable that anyone could defend this piece of filth, that one must at least consider that perhaps they are all doing it. Especially that vile Goldberg person.

This petition is not about Polanski. The petition says that artists, including any criminals like Polanski who are counted as artists, should be allowed to gather together without interference from the authorities.

So the petition is a manifesto by these people to the rest of the world, to the effect that they are privileged people for whom the ordinary rules of life and conduct and law do not apply. They think that there should exist a kind of “artistic” immunity, like diplomatic immunity, that shields them from apprehension – much less prosecution – as they go about their business.

What else would you expect from people who think that mere “transgression” elevates banality to the level of art? They are in a business which makes them professional narcissists, and the astonishing thing is not that some of them have signed this petition, but rather, that so many haven’t.

I am in a quandry. One of my favorite shows was Star Trek, the Next Generation. Whoopi Goldberg plays a recurring character on that show. My principle of avoiding certain celebrities who support absurd things was pretty easy to do.

But now…..

I guess I can avoid episodes that she is in, which are not too many of them.

Perhaps no more definitive example of the deep cultural divide in
the USA can be found than the
Polanski case. Don’t forget: even as the entertainment elite
insists that the law dare not presume to apply to one of its members,
it also tells every US citizen to “pledge to be a
servant to our president.” The electorate is fortunate, for it has
absolute proof that it is advised by a confederacy of moral
lepers.

A few years in jail when in his forties would probably be long forgotten by now.
Those who lament his inability to return to the U.S.A. should rejoice. He will get to return at taxpayer expense and the jail term he now faces will probably keep him in the states for the rest of his life.
The wheels of justice can be slowed by money and fame, but only slowed.

Why all the focus on Polanski? The presiding judge and district attorney both swore an oath to protect us and what did they do? First, they agreed that 42 days of incarceration was sufficient punishment for drugging and raping a child. Then they reneged on their promise. And then they lied about their behavior. Having breezed through my share of National Enquirers while waiting in the supermarket checkout line, I have low expectations regarding Hollywood types and their behavior. Jurists and prosecutors are a different matter. Roman Polanski betrayed a 13 year old child in a manner most vile. Judge Rittenband and LA County District Attorney betrayed not only that child, but young children everywhere and all the rest of us as well. What a nauseating footnote to the history of our great nation.

How reminiscent all this is of the pass these same signatories, and Hendrik Hertzberg and Lanny Davis and others gave to William Jefferson Clinton on perjury, on the grounds that “everyone lies about sex.” Other people who lie under oath about sex or anything else are subjected to indictments, trials, sentencing and jail time. There is no exception in the law for lying under oath about sex. How just it is that this rapist/perjurer/former President is barred from the practice of law in his native state. Clinton could lie under oath, Polanski can commit rape and sodomy on a child and both should be given a pass.
Is this a great country for special, gifted people or what?

Sad to say, but in my opinion a lot of people in Hollywood are pornstar wannebes. They hid behind the 1st Amendment and the term “art”, but in reality all they want to do is have sex on film and on TV. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mind porn, but I don’t tell me porn is art because it isn’t and movies like Eyes Wide Shut is nothing but softcore porn, not art.

Polanski is an extension of that kind of thinking in Hollywood.

In Texas, two men, a father and son, lured a 6 year old boy into a trailer, raped him, sodomized him, tortured him, and killed him.

Was it consensual sex since the boy voluntarily went into the trailer? Was it consensual when the boy passed out just before dying from strangulation?

Oh, you say this is different? How? Polanski could have easily overdosed the 13 year old. Would he have had his same “everyone wants to fu– young girl” tirade that he had in 1979 if that had happened?

I am disgusted and appalled that anyone is defending him. That is very telling and saddens me because of the implications.

How many innocent lives are currently being violated because as Polanski puts it, everyone wants to bang a young child?

I sincerely wish some morally inclined journalists would have the integrity/guts to confront these celebrities who signed on the petitian, candidly on the red carpet and ask them if they’d even read the victim’s testimony before signing their name to defend Polanksi? Ask them if a man took nude photos of their 13 yr old girl, drugged her and forced himself on her, and then ran from the country, if they would be willing to be so forgiving? Ask them if his “Director status” absolves him of his sins? I do know that group think in Hollywood is the norm, and “causes” are more word of mouth and spread like mental viruses, I doubt many of them are even aware of the details of the history of this case.

I sincerely wish some morally inclined journalists would have the integrity/guts to confront these celebrities who signed on the petitian, candidly on the red carpet and ask them if they’d even read the victim’s testimony before signing their name to defend Polanksi? Ask them if a man took nude photos of their 13 yr old girl, drugged her and forced himself on her, and then ran from the country, if they would be willing to be so forgiving? Ask them if his “Director status” absolves him of his sins? I do know that group think in Hollywood is the norm, and “causes” are more word of mouth and spread like mental viruses, I would like to see these tools defend their position in front of the camera with their own minds, if they can. I doubt many of them are even aware of the details of the history of this case.

I’m just happy to see that, for once, Democrats are not marching along in lock-step behind Hollywood’s lunatic elites. It is common for party loyalty to trump all on the political left. And, far too often, liberal celebs lead the procession.

Not this time. What Roman Polanski did to that young girl is despicable; that his movie-land pals defend it is insane.

It is not often that I find myself in total agreement with lefties such as Susan Estrich (whom I refer to as “Ms. Estrogen”). But I wholeheartedly concur with her condemnation of Polanski — and his apologists.

Every now and then, an issue transcends partisanship. I am grateful that this seems to be one of them.

While the full list is mostly “I don’t know who they are from Europe” those names that I recognize make me wonder if I will ever see another one of their movies. I have not watched a Woody Allen film in years – but now Harrison Ford? Jeromy Irons? What the hell are these people thinking or drinking or smoking?

I hope that Polanski is brought back to face the courts again! The boys in Cell-block 12 are looking for some new meat!

Did you experience an epiphany overnight? Some miraculous vision or related religious awakening? Considering your previously posted ruminations on this topic, you seem to be a different person. A close reading of the earlier piece squarely places you with them, the hypersensitive, pseudo-intellectual, faux enlightened, overpaid Hollywood elite. How do you account for this zigzag?

I’m still wondering why Jack Nicholson and Angelica Huston were not charged as accomplices? Huston’s (crass) statement at the time was that the girl could have been anywhere up to 25 yrs. old. 25? Really? REALLY? In body, maybe, but not in FACE. I find it absolutely unbelievable that she did not know what was happening — or suspect it, as she watched the girl leave the house. Her quote is that the girl appeared “sullen.” How poetic.

As for Woody Allen, I have told my teenage son (who was watching his movies on Netflix) what he did and why it was immoral. We’ve had several conversations on the subject. He is not watching Woody Allen movies any longer and I haven’t watched one in decades.

Such conversations with our children are long overdue. I wish I had initiated more of them years ago.

Let’s ask each one of the Hollywood actors, directors, or producers that are in support of Polanski: If they have 13-year-old boys or girls, would they feel the same if this rape/sodomy had occurred to their children — or if this were imminent up their children?

I really feel for the long forgotten victim in this case. The now 40-something woman trying to get on with her life and wishing this would go away. Can you only imagine the vocal Hollywood tongue lashing she’d receive if she dared to come out and call for Polanski to be jailed? She would be vilified.

There is no option here but to speak with our wallets. I intend to do just that.

All this talk of boycotts, stop it… When Mitterand the culture minister of France declared that this was wrong that Polanski was a man of standing you could see that the media elite would once more expose their corruption (with a few notable exceptions – well done Luc Besson) to the world. And they did not fail us did they. If anything rammed home the inequality of the law as practised by those that control and use rather than serve it was this moment and they are too stupid to realise just what a hole they have dug for themselves.

There is a rotteness across our whole system, those at the top now need to be cleaned away, a new begining is required, we the people have total contempt for them, from the slick yet childish video supporting Obamacare to their pushing of anti-democratic forces, their bowing to evil dictators like Chavez, Mr Stone, it is all there, another nail in their coffin.

When people are arrogant and believe their own superiority then they expose themselves for what they are, the Media, Hollywood and Obama and his cronies, their victory in 2008 will soon be shown as hollow, this is the begining of the end, we the people can see through them, there are many of us in Europe too, look at the more recent voting patterns, and did I take heart from seeing real people in Washington DC demonstrating on 9/12, no organised left wing false outrage this, this was real. This is the start of the new begining, it may get rocky at some points but I feel we are at the start of a rebirth.

One thing to watch for, should the Lisbon Treaty pass, then expect open rebellion in Europe…

Yeah this is just like the Roscoe Arbuckle case except that he always insisted on his innocence and was found not guilty in court in regards to the death of Virginia Rappe. OTOH Roman Polanski admitted to his guilt.

If you mean it’s like the reverse of the Arbuckle incident, which destroyed his career btw, and Polanski the admitted child molester went on to greater fame and fortune, yeah it’s just like the reverse.

I think everyone’s pretty much written what I would have anyway, so I’ll do something different: Highlight the Hollywood folks who are not jumping on this bandwagon. Anyone see that Kirstie Alley’s sounded off on this? And I think Kevin Smith did too. If there are any more, I’d love to read it, but there are at least two people in film making that chose to use common sense on this matter.

Hollywood has been imploding for years given the contrast between the Hollywood elite & the normal folks in flyover country, but the Roman Polanski pedophilia case may just be the last straw. Let’s be absolutely clear: Polanski raped a child; therefore, he is a pedophile. The wheels of justice need to turn to show Roman Polanski is not above the law, although he & the Hollywood certainly act like it as they want to be gods among men instead of silly people who memorize other people’s scripts. Hollywood is crashing down before my eyes & I won’t be sad to see it go. Without the audience they so disdain, the actors, writers, producers, etc al are LESS THAN NOTHING. At best, these silly people are perhaps flatulence or a used afterthought that has been discarded for something better.

FRANKLY….I think the LIST is Good! For what it REVEALS. For some time now I’ve wondered WHAT CREDIBILITY these people have when they address National Issues–like endorsing candidates, arguing for Health Care or Global Warning or whatever……SO NOW NOW WE KNOW…in black and white…how IN-CREDIBLE they are, and whats up with their Agendas. Enuff of that, Thank You….

Look at it this way, folks. There is a limit to the evil that common folk will swallow, and the arrogant, self-deceived idiots in Hollywood are really pushing close to that limit. Push hard enough and hollywood will find itself boycotted in the way it deserves. There is much in the trashy American culture that deserves to be brought down – and this may be the opportune moment to begin cleaning the American Augean Stable of filth and debauchery..

Actually this is frightening. I am sure the snakes and others who bring young girls in for forced prostitution are watching and thinking if he walks it means that laws about using young girls will not be enforced. They will think it is like US immigration law. Things will get so much worse if he does, even worse than they already are.

Hollywood is vile and depraved. The mask is finally coming off with this disgusting Polanski stuff.

Soo…. who in the heck would take political recommendations from this bunch? They are part of the reason why the country is in the mess that it is right now. And to think that there are American voters who vote for certain politicians because some Hollywood celebrity backs them.

We definitely need to:Boycott Hollywood – stop spending our money to support these vile creatures who think that they are better than us anyway. They only exist because people like us spend money on their movies or watch their tv programs. Without our money or viewership, they aren’t celebrities. (And they don’t have money to support people like Obama!)

As moronic as most Hollywood films have been on screen for the last 30 years, one blushes to think how bad things are behind the cameras and in the boardrooms. They say some day Cali might slip into the sea when the Big One hits, but morally San Fran and LA have already done so.

Also, no wonder Woody Allen speaks up for Polanski. Not only does he excuse Polanski’s crime, he admires it.

There is one thing that bothers me. Many people will admit guilt to “plea-bargain”, even though they do not feel they are guilty. AFTER Polanski plead guilty, the judge indicated that he would not accept the agreement. That’s when RP ran from America. I’m not defending Mr. Polanski, but the abandonment of a negotiated plea-bargain is a factor.

One wonders when Obama will step in and demand that all parties convene at the White House for a champagne summit. Oh wait, I forgot he and Michelle are making that huge “sacrifice” and flying to Europe to champion Chicago for the next Olympics. Nevermind.

I think it would be just rewards if every producer, director, actor, and actress that signs that petition were paid a visit by some criminal who then proceeded to drug and rape them or a member of their immediate family in the exact same manner that Roman Polanski did to that 13 year old girl. Then see if they would be all for letting them go.

We should all just submit to our moral betters in Hollywood. Yeah, this guy drugged and raped a 13 year old, but he has great friends, makes movies, and there was once a creep who happened to be a Republican until he was exposed as a creep. All this makes drugging and raping scared children not rape-rape – just some other kind of technical rape. {end sarcasm}

How does one get this intellectually and morally lost? Roger is right that they are doing themselves great harm, but I actually appreciate their honesty. Its a window into how twisted the mindset of these people has become.

Sorry, but the double standard employed by Polanski’s Hollywood core defenders doesn’t wash. When a clergyman is caught with child porn, or is found guilty of child abuse, the Hollywood disfunctional rise up in righteous indignation. But, when one of their own does the same thing, well that is a kettle of very different fish.

The most mendacious, and disfunctional community dares to tell us how to live. Well, they are simply propped up by the weaknesses of human kind. Which just goes to show that they are as indestructible as quack grass. Which is a pity.

I think what the world wants to know is whether this Polanski guy, obviously capable of insight into the human condition, and representing them with artistic depth and poigniance, is capable of that very human emotion of SHAME? He seems like a self-important old man who hasn’t looked in the mirror for years.

Not trying to pick a fight. Just curious as to why Roger seems to be filtering out references to Woody Allen. Allen pushed himself into this debate, and considering his own past history, he is fair game. I don’t understand why Roger is being so solicitous of him. Or maybe I do. Just curious.

Not trying to pick a fight. Just curious as to why Roger seems to be filtering out references to Woody Allen. Allen pushed himself into this debate, and considering his own past history, he is fair game. I don’t understand why Roger is being so solicitous of him. Or maybe I do. Just curious.

Ah, that is an interesting comment. You’ve just described a sociopath. In order to feel shame, you msut have a sense of right and wrong. That is, have some moral foundation. Absent that, and concentrating on self-gratification, with a penchant for impulsive behaviour, voila, you have a sociopath. May I present Mr. Roman Polanski. Damned by both his actions and his words.

I actually do have some respect for Ms. Goldberg for her accomplishments in acting and entertaining.
It is proven every day though that being a success in one venue does not translate into all encompassing intellectual prowess.
If that were so, look at all the actors and athletes that would be considered geniuses. Hahaha what a laugh that picture is.

I do find it strange that in a country where these kinds of people are given the wonderful opportunity to amass considerable personal wealth they would then turn around and bite the hand that fed them so to speak in return for their good fortune.
Maybe they would have liked to had their careers in a wonderful country like Cuba or North Korea where I am sure they would have been rewarded much more on a scale to befit their actual worth.

Whoopi has done very well considering her very checkered past including being an former Heroin addict.
I am happy that she was able to overcome such poor decisions in her earlier life.

I am begging those in the TV, movie and music industry and the fields of sports to PLEASE keep their political pronouncements to themselves and their inner circle of friends. Each day reveals to me (against my wishes) a new list of cranks, loonies and deviants whose products I must declare unwatchable, unpurchasable etc. Soon I will spending my infrequent leisure time with an Etch-A-Sketch device in my hand because I can no longer watch a TV show, rental movie or musical performance without being reminded that some self-declared Hollywood political expert is preaching to me from the rarified air of Hollywood Hills about what the differences are between rap and rape-rape. Spare me this, please. Your opinions are undesired and found almost embarrassing in their shortsightedness.

If any of the people that signed the “list” had their child raped, no matter how you want to term “rape”, they would be singing a different tune.

Hollywood should have no say in what the law does. I’ve read that it would cost a bankrupt state too much money, he would only nave to stay a month, so long ago..etc…Okay..so, during that month, put Mr. RP in general population of San Quentin.

I haven’t read the whole thread but hasn’t anyone else recognized that the Polanski Defense is the Clinton Defense? This is the reason for much of the reflexive support, like the Whoopi-ism. They have their scripts from the Clinton years and just read-in “Polanski” and “director” when appropriate. Roger, seems to me you were in the Clinton camp re Bimbo Eruptions. Perhaps I am wrong but I am calling across the internets for someone, anyone, who can defend Clinton and not Polanski; or indict Polanski and not Clinton.

114. 4Deuce:
“I am begging those in the TV, movie and music industry and the fields of sports to PLEASE keep their political pronouncements to themselves and their inner circle of friends.”

I agree. Who the hell cares what Chuck Norris or Pat Boone or John Rich or Billy Ray Cyrus or Charlie Daniels or Richard petty or Curt Schilling or Jon Effing Voight for godsake . . . thinks? Now, Tony Danza, well that’s a different story.

If any of the people that signed the “list” had their child raped, no matter how you want to term “rape”, they would be singing a different tune.

Hollywood should have NO say in what the law does. Everyone that has ever been in a film could sign the petition, and it means nothing.

I also sympathize with Samantha. It is WRONGWRONGWRONG that her face and name are in the news.

I’ve read that it would cost a bankrupt state too much money, he would only nave to stay a month, happened so long ago..etc…FINE!!..so, during that month, put Mr. RP in general population of San Quentin.

Woody Allen is leading the way because he must justify himself. After all, if he can create perception that Polanski did nothing wrong, it will make it easier for him to be excused for his incest with his wife’s daughter. (even though she was adopted, she was still psychologicaly his step-DAUGHTER.)

#116, I don’t quite understand your equating Clinton with Polanski. Clinton lied about having had sex under oath. Polanski drugged and raped a thirteen-year old. Not quite the same thing, in my estimation. Clinton’s crime is, alas, a fairly common occurrence. Polanski’s, thankfully, is not.

After hearing that Whoopi Goldberg’s opinion about so-called “rape-rape”, I quietly added her to the list of entertainment personalities that I will no longer watch, in any form – no great loss, admittedly, as she hasn’t been funny in decades, and only appeared in about a quarter of the episodes of Star Trek – Voyager.

It’s not just that the Hollyweird Elite are living in their own vacuous, red-carpet, vain, velvet-rope bubble where everything is backasswards…but, it’s as if the ‘Glitter Crowd’ has completely lost its innate humanity on even the most basic levels of common decency.

But all those names boil down to the same thing – the legal “right” of the Lord of a medieval estate to take the virginity, to rape, the little girls on his estate.

Well, we have all heard of the “New Royalty” – the “Hollywood Royalty.” They take themselves very seriously, they take their “new royalty” status very seriously. Now we can all see just how seriously they take their rights – and you can bet they are not going to let any of their “rights” be taken away or challenged.

That is why they are on a rampage, these “New Royals.” They are furious, they are – in their own gentle but depraved words “dismayed.” They describe the arrest as “inadmissible”, whatever that may mean. They defiantly denounce the arrest of child molester/rapist/sodomizer Roman Polanski because his arrest “breaks tradition.” The “rights” of one of the most prominent of the New Royalty has been violated: He may be held accountable for his actions. “Inadmissible!” they bleat.

Although he plead guilty to drugging (with Quaaludes), then raping and sodomizing a thirteen year old girl, Polanski deemed himself above the plebian American laws and skedaddled off to the country that once proudly guillotined people with his attitude.

And now much of the rest of the New Royalty demands their “rights”. Make no mistake, this is not about Polanski, these are the royalty of the “me generation”, and their heirs. They couldn’t give a rat’s behind about Polanski per se. They, the most profoundly narcissistic class of a profoundly narcissistic era, care only for themselves. But they are not stupid; they understand that they must stand united against the common rabble if they are to preserve their own perverse royal rights.

So they make their demand that the child sodomizer be set free.

And look! There are woman who signed this petition. Amazing??? No. Look at the history of class warfare. Do you really think that there were females of the medieval aristocracy that stood for the rights of peasant women before the rights of the men of the aristocracy. Not in a billion years!

Or look at it in another way. We have all heard of the casting couch. How does the ambitious bimbo scratch her way into the royal world? Rumor has it that it is called the casting couch. Rumor also has it that it can be helpful to bring the king dainty young treats.

Makes it kind of hard to look at yourself in the mirror if you have to admit such behavior is despicable and depraved.

Makes you wonder about how some of these “ladies” became royalty doesn’t it?

And what about that hollywood pay? When you earn a million or more a week, why are you in a union? You can buy the company. I just do not understand why someone in hollywood, if they are such do gooders and/or a man/woman of the people does not create an alternative. Like a bollywood or a bamawood or something. What about canadawood? I think hollywood has worn out its welcome for anyone with an IQ. Demolish it and start over. In Wasila.

If Hollywood is this far out of touch with reality, then perhaps it woild be a “GOOD THING” for them to drift out to sea during the next earthquake. These people are under the self imposed delusion that the RULES and LAWS do not pertain to themselves or their Kind.. Perhaps they should read their history about what happened to a like minded group of delusional elitist during the French Revolution, that lost their HEADS ! Hollywood may be ripe and ready for a boycott by the REAL WORLD. They appear to have the morals of DOGS and are proud of it !

This all just underscores what Oprah (bear with me here) said awhile back. “When people show you who they are, believe them.” We have seen it with Joe the Plumber, with Beer Gate, and now with Hollywood’s Polanskirapegate. This is who they REALLY are. Believe them. Couldn’t have asked for better exposure than their own willing self-recrimination. They bury themselves. This is the look behind the curtains that middle America needs to see so starkly. Take a good long look America. It is their undoing.

What truly has become of majority Hollywood writers. Movies have had to tell the audience when to laugh for so long, that people cannot tell what is humor and what is not. (and hollywood thinks they are funny when they are not.)

Roger – you at least still understand the concept of exceedingly dry (and VERY VERY) dark humor as was demonstrated in your column yesterday. Must be a generation thing. (and why I almost never bother with a movie made in the last 30 years. I prefer my humor powder dry.)

Hey Mr Whine-stein:
Celebrities only do what they can get credit for! They do things in public that they would never do if someone wasn’t watching! This is not a ‘moral compass’, it is self-promotion. All of the wealthy celebretards could have just given sacrificial amounts of their own money to those causes, but noooooo, your ilk do a ‘telethon’ and WE send in the money like good little sheep. False compassion is not a indicator of morality, it is a weak attempt to paint yourself in a positive light as if to say “Hey look! We don’t judge anyone (with the exception of those we disagree with or happen to actually have morals) so we are compassionate” Huh? This is the height of stupidity! These greedy, evil people are sickening to the rest of us and yet, we keep putting our money in their pockets!! I will no longer see any movie that isn’t put out by someone I can support. Someone mentioned “Fireproof” and “Facing the Giants”…..Yep! That’s the kind of entertainment I am going to pay for from now on! I’m so done with Hollyfreaks and their corrupt political buddies!!!! Stick the fork in….yep! I’m done!

Has anyone figured out why now? Why is LA right now doing this? Is there some political angle to this? We took missile shield from Czech and Poland. Anything to do with that? Was he some trade off like Megrahi? If so, for what? Was this something Schwarzenegger has been angling for? Who is this coming from? What is the reasoning behind this all of a sudden when there were previous opportunities in Switzerland. Glad it’s happening,but would like to know what is fueling this now.

Lights, Camera, Action! and the Hollywood scene again outshines and outperforms anything seen on the silver screen.

Life time achievement? Well you know it isn’t really about the life, only the appearance of the life. Can’t you people see the torment of the great men on earth? What is that compared to the torment of a child?

Not sure I can draw a complete parallel here – so I ask for input … today we heard/read Elizabeth Smart’s testimony in the case against her abductor and rapist – she was 14 and taken against her will from her home and repeatedly raped by this older man (plied with drugs & alcohol too) … is that ok? I know he isn’t a famous director or anything, but shouldn’t these nitwit Hollywood elites be defending him as well for drugging and raping a 14 year old? Maybe I am confused – was Elizabeth Smart raped-raped?

From what I read in the L.A. Times yesterday, for some months Mr. Polanski’s lawyers have been trying to get the original charges dismissed, and one of the arguments they use is their claim (disputed by the DA’s office) that in all these years there have been no serious attempts to extradite him. IOW, they poked the sleeping dragon, and got burned. Him leaving France gave them an opportunity.

What is really funny about Whoopi Goldberg’s involvement is that in the live action Rocky and Bullwinkle movie she plays a judge who lets R&B off of a charge because of the “celebrity immunity rule”.

130. steveg:
It wasn’t Hillary shaking hands with Saddaam Hussein, it was Rumsfeld. It wasn’t Obama selling weapons to Khomeni, it was Reagan. It wasn’t Pelosi hitting on underage pages, it was Tom Foley. Are you sue you know the difference between right and left?

This is the same Hollywood who tried to defend the ultimate scum, Tookie Williams, claiming he wrote “childrens books” in spite of his participation in a series of brutal robbery/murders. The same Hollywierd that til this day tries to excuse racist cop killer Abu Jamal. He DRUGGED a 13yo and RAPED her when he was 44. Whats next Whoopi, you going to say Polanski had an excuse to do this because his wife Sharon Tate was one of Mansons victims? There is no SUCH THING AS A RAPE/rape. There is only RAPE ,a crime of VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN. Personally ,Whoopi I hope you dont have to experience one. Ive known one women who did and 30 yrs later she STILL has nightmares about it, in spite of the fact her daddy went to life imprisonment for KILLING the bastard who raped her.You Hollyweird pukes make me vomit.

Now and then…I don’t know what you are talking about. We are discussing Polanski and the big Hollywood names that are demanding his release.

I will not patronize any actor or director that endorses the rape of children. You want to give your opinion, actor, director or not you are entitled to it, but don’t be surprised if there are repercussions. I have children, daughters, what Polanski did was horrible and it was a crime. We can not endorse it and send the wrong message to rapists, whether they are celebrities or not. Polanski is guilty of a crime and for that he must pay.

Anyone else not surprised that David S and Now and Then aren’t coming out to say anything against Polanski or even pedophilia in general? It’s very telling that the liberals cannot bring themselves to disavow sexual depravity. I guess when their party wallows in that muck daily, they must be immune to it.

Glad I can still figure out that raping a child is wrong.

So David S and Now and Then, man enough to pony up to the table and say Polanski should be jailed for his crime?

Good point, Lynn. This is not just one person’s crime: the community is rewarding him. The same would not happen, of course, to people who bashed gays or attacked minorities. They would be rightfully banished from Hollywood, no lifetime achievement ceremonies on the way out the door.

To those who seem to believe that a plea bargain is considered fair exchange for leniency, rather than an admission of guilt — he would not have needed to bother at all if there were any doubt about his guilt. The bar was, and is, set so improbably high that more than 90% of child rapists suffer no consequences.

And the ones that do get caught? I was looking at a very random cohort of 8 today, and none of them spent more that three years in prison — for sexually assaulting a child. Most spent less than a year behind bars or got only probation. Think about that. Just think about it. These were not famous people — this is just the status quo. Even thirty years later, Polanski is typical, not atypical. We were supposed to have changed all of this, of course, but really we have not.

Oh, what a surprise: Woody Allen defends Polanski! How old was Soon Ye Previn when he became involved with her and almost destroyed Mia Farrow? Incidentally: what the last good movie that he made? I am sick of these people.

Some of my friends think it is tilting at windmills to boycott stars appearing in first-run movies but since the many ugly statements were made against conservatives in general and Republicans specifically during the Bush years and the McCain/BO campaigns, my husband and I do not attend movies in which those actors are featured. It’s as simple as that. Some of those were personal favorites. Yet, if they feel that strongly about my principles, I certainly cannot underwrite their salary.

Oh, there are so many more things I HAVEN”T said than that. You can bring up a lot more outrageous stuff than Polanski. I haven’t spoken out against Vlad the Impaler. Hey, neither have you. Why do you support Vlad the Impaler? Shameful.

Keep trying. You’ll be right one of these times. I have a cupcake set aside for you when it happens. It’s in the shape of a Pope hat with a Hitler Youth logo in frosty icing. Very nice. Of course, Hitler is bad. Hey, you haven’t spoken out against Hitler. I have. Why haven’t you? Shame, shame, shame.

I’m still wondering why Jack Nicholson and Angelica Huston were not charged as accomplices? Huston’s (crass) statement at the time was that the girl could have been anywhere up to 25 yrs. old. 25? Really? REALLY? In body, maybe, but not in FACE. I find it absolutely unbelievable that she did not know what was happening — or suspect it, as she watched the girl leave the house. Her quote is that the girl appeared “sullen.” How poetic.

Nobody here is defending rape or pedophilia. Sadly, there are not many advocating for the rule of law, either. Nobody has disputed the facts of the rape itself – it is the legal process that is at issue here.

So David S and Now and Then, man enough to pony up to the table and say Polanski should be jailed for his crime?

He was already jailed for his crime, pursuant to the plea bargain that he pled under. Maybe you need to brush up on the Constitution? He’s served his time, and double jeopardy is not legal in the USA. The real issue in this case at this point is that the prosecutor and judge tried to have it both ways. I’m not here to defend Polanski’s actions – they are undeniably reprehensible – but I don’t think the government should get a free pass to break the terms of plea bargains, or to excuse prosecutorial misconduct.

All the idiots criticizing Whoopi (including yourself) ought to go back and review the facts of the case. Details are important, but only to those who care about the truth (i.e. I don’t expect you to understand).

Beaten into submission, ATP runs behind the barn to light pieces of straw on fire. Staring blankly into the sputtering stick, he imagines the little children praying to Obama, just like Beck and Breitbart imagine it. Imagine, grown men obsessing on children praying to god. How priestly. Now is the time for you to transubstantiate. Why wait? Evolve into the man you see in the rearview mirror, the one whose potential was in tact before you traded it for conformity, for the safety of like-minded regretters, for the ease of reaching the lowest common denominator of thought, action and achievement. Congratulations, the pressure’s off! Just go with the memory.

Now and Then: “Oh, there are so many more things I HAVEN”T said than that. You can bring up a lot more outrageous stuff than Polanski. I haven’t spoken out against Vlad the Impaler. Hey, neither have you. Why do you support Vlad the Impaler? Shameful.”

Advice – if you use the little wheel in the middle of your mouse, you can scroll up to the top of this page. Yes, I know it’s a long way. But, once you get to the top, you’ll find the TITLE OF THE ARTICLE.

Find it? Still looking? Go ahead, I’ll wait……

………yes, it’s a long way up there….
.
.
.
.
I’ll bet you didn’t go look, did you? Ok, just a little FYI – the article is titled “Hollywood Self-Implodes Over Polanski”.

NOT “Hollywood Self-Implodes Over Vlad the Impaler” or “Hollywood Wets Itself Over Bush/Hitler Comparisons” or anything else you might want to discuss. Heck, I don’t even think I say “Foley” anywhere in there….

You might want to get with David S on this – I may not agree with his position, but at least he understands the concept of ‘debate’.

David S – “He’s served his time, and double jeopardy is not legal in the USA.”

Interesting take – I’d like to see an accurate timeline of the initial 42 days he served, when the initial plea bargain was made, how binding the bargain was, etc. etc.

I’m not convinced that this case involves double jeopardy. Saying “He’s served his time” is your opinion, please don’t make it sound like a fact. Is ‘double jeopardy’ the official position of his legal team?

Regardless, in my opinion a rationale response to this issue is that the issue SHOULD have been settled in court – not fleeing the country and just hoping the whole thing would blow over.

I’m curious about your opinion – do you think that a total of 90 days in jail is a suitable sentence for drugging and raping a 13 year old? Or do you think that 42 days is more appropriate?

Now and Then: FYI, all of your bravado does NOT change the fact that you have NOT come out against Polanski or child rape. We’re left to draw our own conclusions as to why not. I think you’re a typical liberal panty waist afraid to take a stand against a celebrity criminal. Since you’re too big of a wimp to answer, I’ll assume the worst.

David S: The facts of the case are quite clear indeed. Polanski was convicted but left the country when he feared the deal he had cut with the judge for a short prison term was going to be changed. I know that to liberals, being a celebrity automatically entitles one to be above the law but fortunately cooler heads still prevail. Polanski was found guilty of rape and should serve out his sentence regardless of his celebrity or bank account. Do extrapolate more on your Whoopi comment. Do you actually have the gall to try and defend her, “it’s not rape-rape” comment? Pedophiles the world over are cheering you on David S. Please, share with us the logic of your argument.

OK, so until someone says they’re against child rape you assume they are for it. I get it now. Left to draw my own conclusion, I conclude you’re a sociopath. Thanks for clearing that up. By the way, how’s it feel to be at war with the world?

Gracie, regarding asking his defenders if they would want their child raped: Have you heard the latest claim made by McKenzie Philips, daughter of Mamas and Papa’s John Philips, that he slept with her, his own daughter or that Ryan O’neal hit on his own daughter at Farah’s funera? So many of these so called stars are perverted and depraved themselves. And these are the people who so many of our young people look up to and emulate. Tragic.

Here’s what wingnut Katha Pollitt, writing for that right-wing rag the Nation, has to say: It’s enraging that literary superstars who go on and on about human dignity, and human rights, and even women’s rights (at least when the women are Muslim) either don’t see what Polanski did as rape, or don’t care, because he is, after all, Polanski–an artist like themselves. That some of his defenders are women is particularly disappointing. Don’t they see how they are signing on to arguments that blame the victim, minimize rape, and bend over backwards to exonerate the perpetrator? Error of youth, might have mistaken her age, teen slut, stage mother–is that what we want people to think when middle-aged men prey on ninth-graders?
The widespread support for Polanski shows the liberal cultural elite at its preening, fatuous worst.,…,
No wonder Middle America hates them.

This really isn’t a right/left issue. On one side, you have people who think celebrities and artists have the right to do whatever they damn well please and on the other, you have people who believe in basic decency and the rule of law. Or, to put it more simply: human turds vs. everyone else.

The PJM trolls who defend Polanski want soooo much to be part of that liberal cultural elite. Then they too could drug and rape little girls. Ah, what fun! But, alas, they don’t have the talent or brains to do anything besides troll conservative blogs. They do have the preening and the fatuousness down pat though. I can’t manage to feel hatred for such pathetic creatures though. Pitying contempt is more like it..

In addition, Kevin Jennings condoned an underage boy having sex with an older man.

There are two ways to look at this. If true, Obama has appointed a certifiable Monster to be the “Safe Schools Czar”. If false, Kevin Jennings has a hell of a good lawsuit on his hands.

And for the record, Roman Polanski is a paedophile.., and like most, if not all paedophiles, he is hardwired that way. The Natasha Kinski (sp?) girl was another victim and I suspect, there were plenty more.

Heads up to all you Hollywood types who want to have “political voices” in the future, don’t sign on to this Pro-Polanski cause, because you will be doing the Political equivalent getting caught in bed with a live boy or dead girl…

Are these Hollywood elitists who signed their names for the defense of Roman Polanski truly afraid that Roman would blow open the dark secrets of their participation in child sex activities if they did not support him?

What shocks me is that Max Weinstien is out in front on this issue, marshaling support and getting signatures. What a lack of moral rectitude. Mr. Simon is spot-on about a backlash brewing – Miramax films are entirely off my theater going schedule. I will speak clearly to friends about my reasons and hopefully spread the outrage. I am not a “boycott” kind of person or activist, but this issue has so offended me I will act. Where is their moral compass?

The facts of the case are quite clear indeed. Polanski was convicted but left the country when he feared the deal he had cut with the judge for a short prison term was going to be changed.

That’s what I said. Here’s the relevant quote from the link you cited:

Polanski agreed to a plea deal that spared him prison time (he had spent about 45 days in jail during a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation). But when it seemed that a Superior Court judge might not honor the deal–and sentence Polanski to prison–the director fled the country.

I know that to liberals, being a celebrity automatically entitles one to be above the law but fortunately cooler heads still prevail.

No, I don’t think anyone is above the law. In this case, a judge apparently thought he was – and Polanski has a right to a fair trial, just like any other defendant on trial in the USA. If plea bargains could be so easily circumvented, they would be useless. This is about basic principles of law.

Polanski was found guilty of rape and should serve out his sentence regardless of his celebrity or bank account.

Nobody is disputing that he served the time that the judge agreed to. Why should he be subject to reincarceration?

Do extrapolate more on your Whoopi comment. Do you actually have the gall to try and defend her, “it’s not rape-rape” comment? Pedophiles the world over are cheering you on David S. Please, share with us the logic of your argument.

If you can’t understand the nature of the US legal system, maybe you would be happier under some other government? Polanksi pled guilty to a lesser charge – you can’t go around claiming he was convicted of rape, because he was not. It’s a matter of accuracy in terminology – nothing more, nothing less.

@164. AThinkingPerson:

Court documents on the Polanski case. You’re wrong. Period.

See above. Your link describes the problem succinctly – but maybe you didn’t read that far? You can argue right past me all day if you refuse to address the legal issue.

The usual liberal trolls are here defending Polanski. They are using the “everyone does it” defense, the “look over there” defense, and the “you’re a poo poo head” defense. I even saw the “it’s just so complicated, you’re a poo poo head” defense by David S.

I’m not surprised. Abortion is evil. Once someone has rationalized abortion, accepting an evil act like drugging and raping a young girl becomes easier.

162. Curtis M (responding to David S) wrote:
I’m not convinced that this case involves double jeopardy. Saying “He’s served his time” is your opinion, please don’t make it sound like a fact. Is ‘double jeopardy’ the official position of his legal team?

Peter writes: Polanski did not ‘serve his time.’ He was jailed pending trial and psychiatric evaluation, just as any common every-day rapist would be. ‘Time” as David puts it, would not begin to be served until the judge pronounces sentence, which if you are following the FACTS of the case, he had not yet done when Polanski chickened out and skipped the country.

True enough, some judges may choose to impose time served as the punishment (and this often happens when defendants are jailed for months or years prior to trial in our ‘timely’ justice system), but all indications are the judge in this case was going to impose additional time on Polanski, time he didn’t want to serve as proper punishment for the crime he committed.

That is to say, ruining one poor girl (with her mother’s complicity) does not rise to the crime of lobotomizing generations worldwide and destroying the American Republic — as has done the “celbrities” of Hollywood/NY

And now you have the ultimate sleezoid, David Lefterman telling his degenerate audience that he had sex with young staffers, and the audience yucks it up. David Letterman, 62, married with child, announces he had sex with young staffers, and the audience applauds this embarrassing moment. Must be nice to be a degenerate,and have a degenerate following.

The types who signed the petition for Polansky are the same types who started yelling a few years ago against Germany and France justice system which, at that time, started moving (finally!) against the Scientology crap – aren’t also they the same furious swarm that gathered for defending Bill Clinton’s codpiece during Monica affair?

Debauchery, corruption, hypocrisy, grotesquely hypertrophied entitlement sense, fraudulence – is it surprising that those who stood at watch around Clinton’s fly, support Scientology and now defend Roman Polansky are also fervent Obama supporters?

RE #72/biblio44: [...] it won’t be put to rest while the likes of Roger Simon try to make political hay out of it. [...]

“Political hay” – as Obama is pleasantly relaxing in Danemark (or rather sacrifices himself, as Michelle righteously put it), American troops die in Afghanistan without the White House support, black teens are bestially murdered on Chicago streets, the uneployment spikes to “The Grapes of Wrath” dimensions, and the Democrat party and its most staunch supporters (the Hollywood crew) find as complete national priority the support someone who, when he was 47 drugged a 13 years old girl and sodomized her, then, when on bail, fled to France.

“Political hay”? – a common element here is the Democrat party’s complete detachment from the concerns of America.

And since we’re at the connectedness thing – bibbio, tell us about Michelle’s shopping spree in Copenhagen: Aren’t the $700 sneakers perhaps a bit subdued? Still, the necklace, that was so appropiate! But the aragula, I heard, wasn’t right…

Now is now, and then was then, dear Now & Then – and in the light of the fact that Chicago was just kicked out from the Olympic bid (entirely predictable turn of events), my comment regarding Obama’s transformational presidency via sodomizing 13 years old girls has gotten even more actuality, as you can ascertain from the bellow:

As Obama is returning from his pleasant visit in Danemark (or rather sacrificial journey, as Michelle righteously put it), American troops die in Afghanistan without the White House support, black teens are bestially murdered on Chicago streets, the uneployment spikes to “The Grapes of Wrath” dimensions, and the Democrat party and its most staunch supporters (the Hollywood crew), find as complete national priority to support someone who, when he was 47, drugged a 13 years old girl and sodomized her, then, when on bail, fled to France.

Alas, a common element in these events that mark Obama’s transformational presidency is the Democrat party’s complete, utter detachment from the concerns of America (in the Obamas’ case, utter contempt is the right term).

And since we’re visiting the connectedness thing – but then, we have Oprah, and we’ll laugh, we’ll cry, we’ll learn with her about the Copenhagen fiasco and the larger right-wing conspiracy that has stopped the IOC to allow Barry to offer this gift to Daley & Perps.
And Oprah is such a raconteur! she will entertain us with riveting detail about the shopping spree & bedeviling quandaries faced by Michelle in Copenhagen: aren’t the $700 sneakers perhaps a bit too subdued? Still, the necklace, that was so appropiate! But the aragula, do these whiteys know how to make it right?

So, thanks Obama & Oprah, now we realize that the abandoned US servicemen in Afghanistan, the murders of teens in Chicago, or the clearly not “rape-rape” of 13 years girls (those little whores!) are just distractions, if not outright irrelevant situations – yes, and Obama’s transformational presidency splendidly marches on -

I am starting to think that an appropriate response to Hollywood closing ranks to support Roman Polanski should be a drastic revision in the copyright laws. After five years, all intellectual property goes into the public domain. Defund the baby rapers.

Gee, thanks for reposting your blathering ignorance, but what do you think of that Reagan unemployment number? Don’t want to talk about that, eh? I know it’s off the topic, given this . . . “uneployment spikes to “The Grapes of Wrath” dimensions”

Of course, unemployment was 25%, but don’t let that fact get in the way of your mindless bloviating. Either read up and man up or go back to gobbling Beck.

Have you no shame?
Are you seriously still running those t.v. ads with Whoopi “it wasn’t rape-rape” Goldberg?
And she is the first person we see when going to your website.
You may want to rethink your marketing on this one.

Not attached to Verizon and was a potential customer.

Nash
USA

P.S. Way to stay unaccountable – your company website has no straightforward way (this is the internet age after all) to contact you in email. Had to scour to even find this edress – mediarelations@t-mobile.com – buried in your fine print links.

I realize that BOTH parties are afraid to confront the deficit LBJ started with the Vietnam War. Efforts to quash it have only led to partisian infighting. The Democrats were first at it, castigating Nixon in 1970 and enacting legislation to forbid impoundment that has let Presidents control the budget excesses for decades.

Then Nixon acted irresponsibly in 1972, pumping up the money supply and imposing WP controls to mask inflation.

Then Carter tried to dampen the inflation and I inherited his messy economy. Then I used some deficits, and Bush 1 had to deal with the aftermath.

Then the democratic congress in the 90′s and Bush 2 amde it worse all over again.

But what Obama is doing now is out of this world: its worse than what anyone did before. Unemployment will get worse because we can’t keep printing money like this.

Back THEN I didn’t demand that we defict spend to 13% of GDP to try and cure the problem; NOW Obama is.

THEN the dollar wasn’t being discussed as a former reserve currency: NOW it is.

THEN I had a Democratic congress: NOW the Democrats have been in charge of congress since 2006 and unemployment is getting worse.

Methinks that a lot of the male Hollywood bigwigs who are defending this character are secretly harboring the awful realization of “There but for the grace of God, go I”. As to why so many Hollywood gals are rallying to his defense, I remain baffled.

This discussion is a bit surreal. Polanski is a unrepentant child molester, and a sociopath. Just ask you own shrink. Woody Allen is a creepy pseudopedophile, with a terminally warped sense of morality and precious little insight into his own pathology. Hollywood, as a whole, is an excrescence of overpaid, egocentric, privleged narcissistic colonic washings who believe there own press releases and exist in a make believe world enabled by wealth, casual sex and affordable drugs. In other words, basically human detritus. It does my heart good to see the Hollywood elite man the ramparts in defense of unconscionable perversion, demonstrating to the world what turds they really are. Am I being to harsh here??????

Now and Then wants to talk about the unemployment rate during President Reagan’s term in office. That is the stupidest defense of Polanski I have seen. Even the “not rape-rape” defense makes more sense than that. Of course I haven’t seen every defense of Polanski, maybe there’s an even stupider one on some other thread.

And now the racist IOC has denied Chicago their RIGHT to host the Summer Olympics in 2016. The World Court should order the IOC to award the Olympics to Chicago. Forthwith!

Even Sharon Tate, the sister of a woman that was violently murdered stood up for this little piece of excrement. They (stars of Hollywood) are of no surprise to me they all stood by the other famous child molester Micheal “I Like to sleep with little boys ” Jackson. They came to the conclusion that what Ted “I let a woman die to cover my own dumb ass” Kennedy,did was forgivable. Birds of a feather flock together, they all have there skeletons and want to make sure that when they get caught they to will be on the recieving end of forgiveness from there fellow #*!holes.

198. Ron:
“I realize that BOTH parties are afraid to confront the deficit LBJ started with the Vietnam War.”

Ron, Ron, Ron . . . You can’t point to a previous president and suggest he had ANYTHING to do with a fractured economy, just ask anyone here. Besides, if you know anything at all about the economy in the 1960s, you know it was all Barney Frank’s fault.

205. Delia:
“September issue: Anal rape is the new black.”

More cop fantasies from Real Housewife of Smallville.

206. Gary Rosen:
I require both hands, but you wouldn’t know what that’s like.

Come on, people. Quit looking in your high school yearbooks for inspiration.

204. Concerned4all:
“Even Sharon Tate, the sister of a woman that was violently murdered stood up for this little piece of excrement.”

Two things. First, conservative scat alert, right on cue. Amazing. Second, it was Sharon Tate who was murdered. Unless she’s her own sister, which I recognize is a distinct possibility among the inbreeding conservative movement, but not so much among REAL Americans.

Don’t be jealous just because my jokes are funnier and more clever than yours. What can I say, I’m Jewish, I have a head start. Not to say that just being Jewish makes you funny. (And thank you for so graciously volunteering to be a case in point.) You need practice in the art of humor. You haven’t been perfected yet, as Miss Coulter suggests you need to be. Take it up with her. She has no sense of humor either.

Gary, Gary, Gary, I can sense the wind has dropped out of your sails. You feel beaten, it’s clear, and it’s common among your classmates around here. Several of them feel the same way – puffed up and positive when it starts only to realize they don’t have what it takes to follow through against a simple mix of truth, justice and the American way. You have comfort in company. You and Delia and misanthropicus can discuss the epistemology of anal rape as seen through the lens of Buber’s I-Thou (or for those of you with more, shall we say “priestly inclinations, Merton’s Confessions of a Guilty Bystander. Perhaps you should invite goy.

As to Whoopi Goldberg’s comment…I don’t care if there is a lesser charge made, I know enough that what RP did to the girl was a horrific crime and he deserves everything that could possibly be given to him (and in my opinion, even more). So I don’t care if it wasn’t “rape-rape”. – That is a distinction so crass as to warrant a spitball in the face (along with anyone else -white or black or asian or whoever – who tries to make that argument).

As far as the victim now saying leave RP alone…well, RP owes a debt to society, which transcends the victim. That is the consequence of breaking the law and being convicted of a crime. She can forgive him, sure, and anyone else can do the same, but in order to maintain a society, debts for wrongdoing must normally be paid back to said society (I do understand that exceptions *can* be made, and sometimes should be, but this is not one of those exceptions). Consider that RP fled without paying the debt:. He still owes, and now with interest. Just think if you tried to not pay your income taxes. You get charged interest. Same should go for this sick dude with beaucoup prison time for trying to beat the rap. I have little sympathy for perverts who prey on young children. Unfortunatly that seems to be the people that Hollywood admires. The longer I watch the Hollywood cesspool, the more I want to avoid their products and let them wallow in their muck. They aren’t worth supporting, regardless of their “art” or their talent. Don’t get me wrong, I really like movies, and tv, but listening to these “elites” defend RP makes me want to throw up.

I am sorry to read that Harrison Ford also signed the petition. If true, then that’s another one that I think I will start to boycott, along with, now, Pitt, Clooney, Damon, Affleck, Goldberg, Eckhart (for that “Raghead” movie), Redford (for the sick Sundance Film Festival alone), and many more. These clowns (and I am being polite, but believe me, it’s an effort) are not worth my money.

They can make their choice to honor the despicable, but I will not then honor *them*. GWB said that if you harbor terrorists, then essentially, you are one. Well, same goes here: If they defend RP for this, then they are just the same in my eyes. I can do better than support Hollywood mansion-trash.